Cardinal Barbarin was born in Rabat (Morocco) on 17 October 1950. He studied for the priesthood in Paris and has a doctorate in philosophy from the Sorbonne.

He was ordained a priest on 17 December 1977 for the diocese of Créteil (France). He had various parish assignments from 1977 to 1998, including a time as a fidei donum priest teaching theology in Madagascar.

He was appointed bishop of Moulins (France) on 1 October 1998 and consecrated in Moulins on 22 November 1998 by the Archbishop of Fianarantsoa, Madagascar, Archbishop of Randriambololona. Four years later, on 16 July 2002, he was transferred to the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Lyon.

Pope John Paul II elevated him to the College of Cardinals on 21 October 2003, just five years after first appointing him a bishop.